DEPRESSION
WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
The word depressed is a common everyday word. People might say, "I'm depressed" when in fact they mean, "I'm fed up because I've had a row, or failed an exam, or lost my job" etc. These difficulties of life are common and normal. Most people recover quite quickly.With true depression, you have a low mood and other symptoms each day for at least two weeks. Symptoms can also become severe enough to interfere with day-to-day activities.
WHO GETS DEPRESSION?
About 2 in 3 adults have depression at some time in their life. Sometimes it is mild or lasts just a few weeks. However, an episode of depression serious enough to require treatment occurs in about 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men at some point in their lives. Some people have two or more episodes of depression at various times in their life.WHAT CAUSES DEPRESSION?
The exact cause is not known. Anyone can become depressed. Some people are more prone to it, and it can develop for no apparent reason. You may have no particular problem or worry, but symptoms can develop quite suddenly. An episode of depression may also be triggered by a life event such as relationship problem, bereavement, redundancy, illness, etc. In many people, it is a mixture of the two. For example, the combination of a mild low mood with some life problem, such as work stress, may lead to a spiral down into depression.Women tend to develop depression more often than men do. Particularly common times for women to become depressed are after childbirth (postnatal depression) and the menopause.
A chemical imbalance in the brain might be a factor. This is not fully understood. However, an alteration in some chemicals in the brain is thought to be the reason why antidepressants work in treating depression.
SOME MYTHS AND OTHER POINTS ABOUT DEPRESSION
Depression is common, but many people don't admit to it. Some people feel there is a stigma attached, or that people will think they are weak. Great leaders such as Winston Churchill have suffered depression. Depression is one of the most common illnesses that GPs deal with. People with depression may be told by others to 'pull their socks up' or 'snap out of it'. The truth is, they cannot, and such comments by others are very unhelpful.Understanding that your symptoms are due to depression, and that it is a common illness, may help you to accept that you are ill and need help. This may be particularly true if you have physical symptoms such as headache or weight loss. Some people ask "am I going mad?" It may be a relief to know that you are not going mad, and the symptoms that you have are common and have been shared by many other people.
You may 'bottle up' your symptoms from friends and relatives. However, if you are open about your feelings with close family and friends, it may help them to understand and help.
